Let Go
by Anguissette
Summary: [SasuNaru] Ten years after his betrayal, Sasuke finally comes back to Konoha. As the Hokage, will Naruto be able to execute him for his crimes, or will his feelings override his judegement and duty? Warning: character death, mpreg
1. Chapter 1

AN: This chapter has just been edited. I never realized how many mistakes there were. A big thank you for everyone who had to put up with them ;

**Warnings**: yaoi/shonen-ai, mpreg, character death, I think that's it for now.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything.

_Even though I'm drowning in an unrequited love  
I don't want to wake up from this dream, can't let go  
I don't care if it's selfish  
I want an unwavering love right here_

-M-Flo: Let Go

Part 1: The Return

Ten years. It had been ten long years since the last time he had seen Sasuke at Orochimaru's hideout. So much had changed in these years and yet so little. Naruto stood quietly in the underground cell, contemplating the kneeling figure in front of him. His ANBU guards stood around him, hands on their weapons, prepared for the worst. Around the room, he could see the familiar faces of what was left of the original Rookie Nine and Gai's Team. Their once youthful faces were transformed by reminders of battles lost and won.

They were the only ones left now, the rest of the group were either killed by Akatsuki or by the man in front of him. Kiba had a large puckered scar across his face, while Shino's eyes could no longer see. After the loss of Asuma-sensei, followed closely by Chouji's death, the light in Shikamaru and Ino's eyes was extinguished forever. Neji was now the head of the Hyuuga clan, a position that he always envied but never desired. Ever since Hinata died in childbirth, Neji slowly transformed into a man who on longer felt. He took on mission after mission, only pausing to take care of clan business.

Sometimes, Naruto wondered if it was better off to be dead after all. At least they did not have to suffer the pain of being left behind.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Naruto murmured, tired. He watched for any reactions but the body only tensed a little as the missing nin recognized his voice.

"Naruto, are you so afraid of me that you have to keep me blindfolded this entire time?"

The cold, taunting voice hadn't changed in the least bit. Yes, it was dangerous to expose those burning red eyes; although tied up, it would be child's play for Sasuke to break free. Even the power of the Kyuubi was barely on par with the Mangekyu Sharingan (1). No, it was for another reason that he had those haunting eyes covered, a reason too personal to voice.

"We are not going to take any chances with you, Uchiha-san."

He almost smiled in victory at the tiny jerk. For him to address Sasuke so formally was a slap in the face for the dark-haired man. "So tell me, Uchiha-san, what made you come back this time, when you killed off everyone that was sent to retrieve you in the past?"

"I didn't kill you." The smirk that he hated so much appeared.

"Answer Hokage-sama's question!" One of the younger ANBU moved in to strike the kneeling prisoner. Naruto frowned at the young man's rash behavior, and signalled for Neji to stop him before he got himself killed.

"Oh? So you are the Hokage now. Is it Rokudaime? I guess congratulation is in order then."

"Don't tell me you came all this way to congratulate me. I find that somehow hard to believe," Naruto, no, the Rokudaime answered dryly. He felt drained talking to Sasuke; just being close to the man sucked up all of his energy. He hated this little word game that was going on between the two of them. He was never good in word play, and Sasuke always had a negative effect on him. But this time… It was the only way he knew of that could prolong what was coming. _And you did try to kill me… I was just lucky enough to survive_, Naruto thought bitterly.

"No. I killed Itachi." The words landed in the soundless room like a bomb.

"Well, congratulations to you too. I see both of us have accomplished our long time goals." Naruto forced his dry mouth to form the words. For a few seconds, he was brought back to another time. One where he was no longer in the high security cell, but was sitting on the steps outside the academy with Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan, and Sasuke, sharing their likes, dislikes, dreams, and ambitions.

He couldn't have imagined then that they would end up like this. "If I remember correctly, Uchiha-san, you still have a second goal to. Am I to believe that you have abandoned your desire to revive your clan?"

"I'm impressed that you still remember, dobe."

As if he could forget anything that involved Sasuke.

"But that is precisely why I am back."

"Hokage-sama! He killed my brother! We can't just let him free!" The room erupted into chaos at once as a younger ANBU blurted.

"Naruto." Shikamaru's low voice cut through the rest of the cries. "Sasuke's team killed Chouji and Sakura."

With a raise of his hand, the room immediate fell silent again. "Why did you kill Sakura-chan? She was on the same team as us. She cared about you so much, she loved you!" Blunt nails bit into the flesh of his palms. Wisps of Kyuubi's red chakra lit up the dark room in his anger. The words, 'like I loved you' almost slipped out, but the memories of Sakura helped him rein in his uncontrollable emotions. He could still remember when Lee brought back her body. That day, Konoha not only lost their best medic nin, he also lost his closest friend, and first love.

"Sakura… was an accident." For the first time since he was brought here, Sasuke sounded regretful. "I couldn't stop Karin in time…"

"Regardless, she died because of you. Countless Konoha shinobi died at your hands, or because of your betrayal, Sasuke." Naruto let slip the name without realizing. "You have spilt too much innocent blood due to your selfishness. As the Hokage, I can not let you live on with the weight of so many lives.

"For the crimes that you have committed against Konoha, you will be executed immediately." He gathered his white Hokage robes around him, hiding behind his duties as he silently cried within.

"Hokage-sama!"

The door to the cell slammed open, and Naruto turned towards the newcomers in surprise. Sasuke's return had been kept top secret; the only other people who knew of his return and the only ones who had enough authority to interrupt him like this were …

"Tsunade-baachan, Ero-Sennin." He nodded in respect. It was difficult to change the old habits; they would always be Baa-can and Ero-Sennin to him. "May I ask the nature of this intrusion? I was in the middle of…"

"I know that, Naruto. That's why we came." Tsunade's brown eyes avoided his own. "The council decided that the Uchiha bloodline is too important to the village to be ended. We have decided, unanimously, that until the Uchiha bloodline is continued, Uchiha Sasuke will not be executed."

"Baa-chan! He's the reason Sakura-chan died! And why Lee never made it through that surgery! How can you just let Sasuke go like this?!" Tears appeared his wide blue eyes. Whether they were from outrage or relief, even he did not know.

"I know, Naruto, I know. I loved Sakura as well; she was not only my student, she was like my daughter. But you are the Hokage now! You must think about what's best for the village."

"I am doing what's best for the village! Countless shinobi died because of Sasuke! How do we face their families? How do we face their memories, if we let the murder walk out of here without even a slap on the wrist? How can I remain as their Hokage, if I can't even protect them?"

"Naruto." This time Jiraiya growled in warning as Tsunade looked away in pain. "We're not here to negotiate with you. This is a decision made by the council for the benefit of the village. From this moment on, Sasuke will be under the custody of the council members directly, until an heir to the Uchiha line has been produced. Until such a time, he is not to be harmed in any way." The Sannin paused to direct a significant look at the quietly fuming Hokage. "After the birth of the heir, Sasuke will be returned to you, to receive any punishment you pass on to him."

It was final, and left no room for argument. The council was wise, sending in the only two people in the village to whom he could say not say no to. The Hokage backed away, relenting, and watched as the metal chains bounding the prisoner's hands and feet were reluctantly handed over to the two Sannin.

"I hope those old fools know what they're doing. If anything happens at all, I will personally make sure that they'll pay for it with their lives," Naruto challenged as the silent trio passed him.

His breath hitched as Sasuke brushed pass him accidentally. For a second, time froze around them and all Naruto could feel was the warmth radiating from the other man. His eyes widened as he watched Sasuke's lips form silent words.

Snapping out of his private spell, he looked around to see if anyone else caught the little exchange. But no one else noticed. He narrowed his eyes as the missing nin smirked and left him behind in the dark cell.

Too late did he realize that he had just fallen into Sasuke's genjustsu. For a master genjutsu user, it was possible to cast an illusion without any hand or eye movement. He had fallen into such an illusion once at Itachi's hands, and now Sasuke had cast the brief jutsu to tell him…

_It's not over yet…_

Wide eyes hardened into blue diamonds in the tanned, determined face. "Bring it on, Sasuke, bring it on."

His subordinates looked at him in surprise as Naruto spoke to the empty space.

This time he would be ready. This time, he would not be the one left behind.

* * *

Naruto never believed in drowning his sorrows in alcohol, but for once he finally understood why Tsunade and even Jiraiya loved the beverage so much. It made one forget and remember at the same time.

Naruto leaned against the soft chair and let his head fall back. Unfocused eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. His hands hung lifelessly by his sides, a sake bottle dangled from slender fingers. His Hokage hat was discarded among the numerous empty bottles, and the stifling white robes were open at the throat against the artificial heat created by the sake.

His earlier resolve to beat Sasuke at his own game weakened as the alcohol broke the dam that kept his memories in check. Let loose now, the treacherous images assaulted his mind and will. Images of their first kiss, of the time Sasuke had almost died protecting him, of the time he almost died at Sasuke's hands… Their lives were entangled beyond repair.

Sasuke… why? There were so many answers, but none of them seemed right. It was a question that he asked himself and the Uchiha many times over the years, and the conclusions he came to only made him more confused.

He held up a hand to the weak ceiling light. Unlike his friends, his skin was soft and smooth, unmarked by even the hardest training – one of the benefits of the Kyuubi's power.

A long shadow blocked his light, but he recognized the familiar chakra and remained relaxed.

"Naruto."

"Kakashi-sensei." The blond nodded in approval as his old sensei filled his empty cup with the new sake he brought with him.

"I heard about what happened," the silver-haired man began after he downed his first cup.

"I'm not surprised. I wanted to keep it as quiet as possible, but the council always has some wonderful plan up their sleeves." The sake almost spilt as he picked it up, and it disappeared a second later. "Sometimes I wonder why they picked me to become the Hokage if they obviously don't trust me to do anything."

"The villagers believe in you and your friends. Also, they see the result of your hard work; you have established so many new alliances with other hidden villages since you came to power. We have never experienced such peace and prosperity. You should believe in your own ability more, Naruto."

"I know, as long as the village is safe, and everyone is happy." But he wasn't happy, and he had not been happy for a very long time. It was easy to smile from the face, but it was so difficult to smile from the heart now. "I just don't agree with their decision regarding Sasuke at all!" He slammed the empty cup down on the table so hard that cracks formed at the bottom of the porcelain. It pained him every time he looked upon the beautiful, arrogant face; ten years were not long enough to heal all the cracks in his heart. If only Sasuke disappeared, at least he could live out the rest of his life in peace.

"Don't take it badly, Naruto, but I think you are rushing into a decision regarding Sasuke." Kakashi ignored the reproachful look the blond gave him.

"He was the reason…"

"I know, Naruto, I know." The jounin held up a hand to stop him from continuing. "But have you ever thought about what Sakura wanted?"

"She…"

"She wanted nothing more than to see Sasuke back in this village and to see the two of you happy," Kakashi finished softly. "She would have traded her own happiness in a second to see the two of you happy… I'm sorry that I have to do this, Naruto. But this is for your own happiness."

Too late did he realize, as the images blurred and the world spun around him. Naruto stared at his empty sake cup and then accusingly into Kakashi's uncovered eye. "Why?"

He felt strong arms lift him up below his shoulders and knees. He thought heard Ero-Sennin's voice before everything became dark.

* * *

It felt like he woke in a dream. No one in real life had ever shared the same bed as him; no one in real life had ever touched him so tenderly. The tanned back arched into an elegant bow as the rough hands gently moved down his body, brushing away the thick Hokage robes from his heated body.

He couldn't stop a moan from escaping as those hands flipped him onto his stomach, and expertly massaged the tight muscles. Naruto breathed in deeply, the scent of musky spice filling his senses. "Sasuke…" he murmured deeply into the pillow.

Somewhere far away, he heard an amused chuckle answer him, but he was too sleepy and comfortable to care as a powerful, lean body spooned up against him, and strong arms wrapped around his waist protectively.

"Sasuke… don't leave me again."

* * *

He was woken up, this time from a soft caress on his cheek by a rough, calloused finger. He wasn't even aware that he was crying until the wetness was wiped away by those deceptively slender fingers. He did not need to open his eyes to know who the other person was. Naruto lied still, allowing Sasuke's hands to travel down his body, exploring and memorizing every detail.

As the Hokage, as a shinobi, he should have pushed the Uchiha away, but as a human, he could not deny himself the happiness that came with the tender touches. Just once, he would spoil himself. Just once, he would let himself experience what it felt like to be touched by one he loved. Then he would have no more regrets, when the time came to…

More tears slipped from behind his closed eyelids, and the blond burrowed o closer to Sasuke's naked chest, trying in vain to hide his own weakness. But the soothing hands stopped their caresses and pulled him away slightly.

"Dobe, why are you crying?"

The blindfold was still in place. No one in the village trusted those bloody sharingan anymore.

"Why, Sasuke? Why did you have to come back?" The words flowed out before he could stop them. "Why do you have to force me into this decision? You knew that once you came back, your life would be forfeited, but you still…"

He didn't get an answer; instead, he was crushed against the pale, muscular chest. The barrier broke down. All the tears, all the pain and suffering, all the memories, and the joy of seeing Sasuke's face at last flowed out with the tears. Sasuke whispered sweet nothings into his ear as he sobbed out all the pinned up emotions, sometimes crying, sometimes laughing at his own foolishness, but happy still that the one who held him, who witnessed his breakdown was the had given his heart to, unwittingly along the way.

They held each other for what seemed like hours, listening to each other's heart beat, until spikes of red chased away the darkness outside. Tears all dried, Naruto silently watched the sunrise with Sasuke by his side.

It was Tsunade who came to get him. She averted her eyes as Naruto pulled on his discarded Hokage robes. He needed a shower, but there was plenty of time to go back to his own apartment to freshen up and change before he had to go to work. His movements were slow and hesitant as he finally pulled on his shoes, and he watched Sasuke from under his eyelashes.

The Uchiha made no movement to stop him, but Naruto could sense the slight tense in the other man's body as his weight disappeared from the bed. The blue eyes took one last look at the lonely figure on the bed, and he squished the desire to run back to Sasuke's arms.

"Let's go," he said harshly to Tsunade, and regretted his tone when she flinched.

"I'm sorry, Naruto, but for Sasuke's safety…" Before he could react, he felt her chakra being focused into his body.

TBC

AN: I always seem to have trouble keeping Sasuke in character; I keep turning him into Itachi when I write xp. Need more practice writing him not as a mad bloody killer -.-; Part two will be out shortly, just have a little more till it's finished. I apologize that this chapter is a little confusing, all will be explained in part two ;p. Reviews will be much appreciated

I know Sasuke doesn't have it, for the sake of this story, I'm going to pretend that Sasuke finally got the Mangekyou Sharingan after killing Itachi. To me, Itachi can be kind of counted as his best friend/closest person before Sasuke met Naruto. So I'm just going to use that excuse to cheat my way out of this ;p


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I'm so sorry for the long absence. This past school year has been hectic and I've been working full time Monday to Saturday ever since the exams ended earlier this month. The good news is that I'm going to quit one of my three jobs, so hopefully that'll leave me more time to write. It seems like it'll take one more chapter to finish the story, but it'll definitely be posted in June for sure.

Answers to some of the questions: Kakashi drugged Naruto so he wouldn't know where Sasuke was kept (just in case someone decides to rescue Sasuke). Everytime Naruto is taken to see Sasuke, he will be blindfolded to keep Sasuke's location a secret. Tsunade punched Naruto to transfer chakra needed for the 'miracle conception', for the lack of a better word.

Yay! I have a beta now! A big hug to Kochou-Yuki-Sakura for answering my desperate cry for help and a big thank you for putting up with my tardiness and requests :)

Disclaimer: Don't own anything

Warning:shonen-ai/yaoi, mpreg, mush, angst

Seed of Hope

He was ready when Kakashi knocked on the door that night. All day he had been burning with barely disguised anger and excitement. It was a wonder how he had managed to fool everyone, but then again, he had had many years to prefect his mask. When the day darkened, anger slowly faded into anticipation. Tonight, he would finally get some answers.

He refused to speak to his old sensei as the man lifted his hand in the customary Kakashi greeting. Naruto could not forgive him for putting the drug into his sake last night. He could see the cloth Kakashi held in his hand, and sighed in relief. At least this time he would not be drugged.

He turned obediently as the smooth cloth went over his eyes. Even with Kakashi so close to him, he felt isolated and trapped with the loss of his vision. He'd never realized how Sasuke must have felt, especially for someone who was so dependant on dōjutsu, someone as strong as Sasuke, to be handicapped so easily.

Naruto felt hands on his elbow, and spun around, as instructed by the jounin. It was a simple shinobi trick to confuse the senses. If it was impossible to teleport to where Sasuke was imprisoned, then it must be far from the village.

It took about half an hour for the two of them to reach their destination. Blinded, he did not have an accurate sense of direction nor time. Naruto remembered that from the window of Sasuke's room, he could see the sunrise, but the surrounding forest gave him no clues regarding the actual location.

Kakashi knocked on the door discretely; it was a pattern that ANBU members used to recognize each other. Naruto could feel the strong, familiar chakra on the other side, opening the door for them.

Kakashi gave him a gentle shove and the door closed behind him. The jounin quickly muttered a sealing jutsu, trapping his former students inside. The slender fingers that caressed him last night reached up and pulled off his blind fold.

Blue eyes blinked against the sudden light. In the little room, countless candles were lit just for them. He carefully looked around, taking the time to inspect all the details, unlike last night. It looked like the council was very attentive to Sasuke's every need. The sheets on the bed were simple but heavy dark blue silk. Pale gauze hung from the ceiling, creating a translucent barrier between the bed and the rest of the room. A light meal was prepared for them on a small table and fresh flowers scented the room. The windows were thrown open to catch the cool evening breeze. The scene took his breath away. The room felt more like a wedding chamber than a prison, but maybe that was exactly what it was supposed to be…

Naruto turned to look at Sasuke, who was dressed in a simple loose Uchiha robe. His blindfold was still in place, but he faced the blond as if he could see perfectly well.

"Why am I here again?" All day long, even though he already had a nagging suspicion at the back of his mind, he had wanted to confirm his thoughts. The council members had wisely disappeared from his reach, leaving him with no one to turn to- except to confront Sasuke directly.

"Didn't I tell you that it wasn't over yet?" The Uchiha held up a hand to stop the hot retort that Naruto had ready. He grabbed the Hokage's wrist and pulled him deeper into the room. Hs movements were so graceful that it was impossible to believe he could not see.

Gently lifting the gauze apart, he pulled Naruto onto the bed, ignoring the indignant cry, and crawled over the boy, dragging him along until they were both leaning against the mountain of fluffy pillows.

"The reason I came back after I killed Itachi, was because I wanted to revive my clan. As you've already guessed." Sasuke said, stroking the whiskered cheeks absently as he spoke quietly. "I knew that the Uchiha blood was too precious to be destroyed. Konoha may be one of the most powerful shinobi villages, but the council is too power-hungry to let the sharingan disappear."

"But…"

"Let me finish, usuratonkachi," Sasuke pinched the smooth cheek. "I knew that if I came back, I would eventually be sentenced to death for the betrayal. But at least I could get what I desired if I use my bloodline as the bargaining chip."

"Couldn't you have found someone else in Sound or another village? I didn't know that the rest of the world was so short on women that you have to risk your neck to come crawling back to us." Maybe it was the sound of Sasuke's strong heartbeat, but Naruto found his earlier frustrations slowly drain out of his body, though it still didn't stop the bitterness in his words.

"Maybe, I could have picked anyone that's for sure."

His heart skipped a beat as the dark haired man said the words so casually. Naruto looked away, not wanting to show Sasuke how much he was affected. He knew his face was an open book to Sasuke. No matter how perfect his mask was, in front of Sasuke his secrets were always naked to those sharp black eyes.

"But, I came back to Konoha because I had a feeling that the person with whom I wanted to revive my clan with was here."

"Did you find that person?" For some reason, his heart quickened as the Uchiha's hand moved down his chest, covering the area right above the pumping muscle.

"I did."

"And did the council give you that person?"

"I would like to think so. After all, you're lying in my bed right now." Naruto did not miss the smirk, but he did not even notice how close Sasuke was until he felt the other's breath against his neck. The blond bit his lip against a moan as those soft lips kissed his neck teasingly.

"So those greedy old bastards would even use their own Hokage to get their hands on the Uchiha bloodline." The blond chuckled bitterly. Betrayal was nothing new to him, and he had already become immune to the pain long ago, but it did not prevent him from hating those fools for treating him like a whore.

"We are shinobi, Naruto. We exist to be used by those we serve." The dark haired man held his soon to be lover tightly, sensing the dark thoughts radiating from the blond. "As the Hokage, you should know that you are the village's greatest tool."

"And what am I to you then? Am I just another tool to be used by you as a way to revive your precious clan?" A tanned hand shoved Sasuke away, and Naruto sat up, flushed with anger and pain. He tried to get off the soft welcoming bed but strong arms pulled him back into the familiar chest.

A dark head leaned against Naruto's shoulder from the back. "Baka, don't you know what you are to me already?"

Naruto's heart skipped a beat at the quiet admonishment. Of course, he knew what Sasuke meant to him. Sasuke was his cherished teammate, his closest friend, his…But he had no idea what he meant in Sasuke's world.

"You are the reason why I am here."

Incredulous blue eyes stared back at Sasuke. He did not blame Naruto for not believing him. His hand reached around and touched the features that his eyes could not see. "I'm dying, Naruto."

Sasuke heard the sharp intake of breath and smiled faintly. "It's been going on for a long time, ever since Orochimaru gave me the cursed seal. Do you remember Kimimaro?"

"Yeah, the guy who used the freaky jutsu that had bones growing out of everywhere." The Hokage couldn't stop the shiver of disgust as he remembered that particular Sound Nin. Of course, Kimimaro was equally unforgettable as the one who willingly gave up his life for someone as vile as Orochimaru.

"Kimimaro died from the power of the cursed seal, and the same power has been slowly destroying my body over the past years," Sasuke explained briefly. He always knew the unpleasant side effects of Orochimaru's seal. He saw it everywhere during his years spent with the Sannin; he witnessed countless experimental subjects succumb to the cursed seal. He tried not to activate the seal as much, but he was driven by his need for power and revenge.

It was not until his final battle with Itachi did he realize that it was already too late. As he laid on the ground, barely clinging to his life, the blood from his chest wound flowing sluggishly away from his body, he realised that the extent of the damage was beyond repair.

Karin was the one who eventually found him, passed out from blood loss. It took all of her skills and patience to nurse him back to life two months later. In between periods of consciousness, his mind constantly played tricks on him, tempting him with glimpses of his childhood in Konoha, and the blond dobe he had not seen in many years. In visions that were between dreams and reality, he saw what his life could've been if he had not taken that step towards Orochimaru. It was that little glimpse of what could have been that helped him make his final decision.

"I don't have long to live, but I want to see all my dreams come true before I leave this world for good."

The breath hitched in Naruto's throat as the soft confession was whispered into the delicate shell of his ear, like a lover's promise.

"That's why I came back, because I wanted to share my dream with you. You are the only one who can make it come true for me."

The blond head rolled back as a soft wet tongue traced down his jaw and latched onto the hollow of his throat, gently sucking on the frantically beating pulse. Pale hands slid into his Hokage robes, playfully diving under the layers of white cloth to play with the pink nubs through the tight fishnet undershirt.

A soft moan escaped the Hokage's un-kissed lips as the pads of Sasuke's calloused fingers played his body like the strings on a guitar; every pluck sent vibrations of pleasure right down to his very core, until his whole body resonated with Sasuke's presence and passion.

"Will you make my dreams come true, Naruto?"

Dilated blue eyes fluttered as lips hovered right above his, each word caressing his lips intimately without the physical touch. He could feel Sasuke's need straining against his own, and his body ached with the need to welcome his dark mate inside for the very first time.

Gathering the last of his strength, the blonde encircled Sasuke's neck with his arms and arched his body tightly against the one above, finally bringing their lips together for the bittersweet reunion.

Naruto didn't take his eyes off the sunset as a set of footsteps came closer. He didn't have to turn around to know who it was. After all, only one other person knew of this place, where team seven first assembled in what seemed to be another lifetime ago. His hand unconsciously travelled down to his abdomen as his mind replayed the scowling young Sasuke sharing his dreams with his teammates. Now, who would have thought that it would be Naruto and not Sakura to carry the seed of Sasuke's hope?

"You shouldn't have disappeared without telling anyone, Naruto."

Unlike everyone else, Kakashi still referred to him by his first name, a habit that the blond was grateful for. His former sensei plopped down beside him, not close enough to touch, but close enough to lend his body heat in the quickly cooling evening.

"Do you know that half of your shinobi were ready to murder Sasuke thinking that he'd escaped and kidnapped you, while the other half spent the whole afternoon looking for you in every crevice in Konoha?"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow when he got no more than a shrug. It was highly unlike Naruto to ignore the villagers as he just did, but the jounin had a very strong suspicion why.

"Naruto."

"Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke is dying."

Teacher and student fell silent as the inevitable truth finally came out.

"Can he still be saved?"

The question paused in the cool air, each word weighed down with desperate hope.

"I don't know if there's a way to reverse the effects of Orochimaru's curse. They would've tested any treatment on Anko a long time ago if there was a way," Kakashi paused and cleared his throat in the uncomfortable silence. "But even if Tsunade-sama found a treatment, I don't think that the council and the village will let Sasuke live.

"I know this is difficult for you, Naruto, but think for a moment, both as Hokage and as Sakura and Sasuke's teammate – would death really be worse than living the rest of his life in solitary confinement? Would someone like Sasuke be able to truly live with the hatred and ridicule?"

Blue eyes closed at the harsh truth. Naruto knew first hand how cruel even the kindest villager could become in the face of fear. For someone as proud as Sasuke, he would rather die honourably than live a shamed life.

"What happens if he dies before the council gets their wish?"

"He won't die before then. I don't know the details, but Tsunade-sama and Jiraiya-sama have both agreed with the council to let Sasuke live until his heir is born."

It had been three months since Sasuke's return. Three long months of pretending nothing had changed within the village. Each day, Naruto went to the Hokage tower as usual, going through the piles of paper work, assigning missions that would put the lives of his shinobi in danger in order to protect the village. No one said anything of Sasuke's return, but Naruto could feel the heated looks that followed him everywhere. He knew that the only reason no one had caused an uproar was because of the hard work he put in to earn their respect, which now suspended in a delicate balance.

Naruto put down his brush and massaged his aching fingers. The tea sitting on his table had long gone cold. The setting sun outside cast long shadows inside the room. A couple of minutes more and either Jiraiya or Kakashi would be there to escort him to the compound where Sasuke was kept. For a second, he closed his eyes and let his mind relax and think about the night to come. No matter how much time they stayed up, it would be impossible to earn back all those long years. Time with Sasuke always flew by. He hated and anticipated each approaching meeting; while he would get to see Sasuke again, it also meant one night less with him.

"Are you ready to go?"

The Hokage nodded calmly and allowed the blindfold to cover his eyes.

It was impossible to hide it anymore.

He didn't dare to look up to Sasuke as a pale calloused hand softly travelled down his naked skin, until it finally stopped at his abdomen.

The powerful hand tenderly covered the small bump that Naruto's Hokage robe easily hid.

"You're carrying," Sasuke said in a voice full of wonder "our son." His deep voice trembled with pride and another unnamed emotion.

There was no point in denying the obvious, and he didn't want to dampen the joy that lit up Sasuke's face. Naruto let himself be pulled into his lover's arms, trying hard not to let the tears fall. Through the haze of tears, the blond noted how different this new embrace felt. It was still filled with passion, but instead of the underlying power and roughness of his previous embraces, Sasuke treated him like spun glass.

The strong arms that were responsible for killing squadrons of Konoha's best ANBU encircled the tanned body like a warm blanket, touching Naruto's heart within.

Just like other nights, he let the dark haired man pull him towards the bed, temporarily forgetting the inevitable pain in favour of the promised passion and love.

Even though he couldn't see the sunrise, Sasuke knew morning had come when the space next to him was empty and cold. Ignoring the sharp stab of pain to his heart, Sasuke sighed and sat up.

"Come back to bed, dobe. There's still time, you'll catch a cold standing like that."

The figure next to the window didn't move, forcing Sasuke out of bed to join his lover. He reached out and covered Naruto's hand that was unconsciously rubbing his abdomen.

"Sasuke," the glass became frosted with the blond's breath.

"Yes, Usuratonkachi?"

"I don't want this baby."

The conjoined hands froze in their calming motion.

"What do you mean?"

Naruto flinched at the coldness. He had forgotten in the past couple of months how curt and uncaring Sasuke could be. He held steady as hands grabbed his shoulders, twisting him around. Even though he wouldn't be facing the red sharingan eyes, it was still painful to see the emotionless face. A face he had seen transformed with pleasure.

He didn't want to do this. God, it would kill him to destroy his own child, or any child. Ever since he was no more than a child himself, he had always wanted a family. Parents to love and care for him, siblings to play and fight with, but compared to Sasuke…

The dark haired man finally managed to spin the blond around. "Why, Naruto?" Sasuke asked harshly, slamming the Hokage against the window, trapping him with his arms.

Nothing reached his ears as the two stood silently, facing each other. They say that other senses become more sensitive when you lose your vision. Maybe that was how Sasuke knew to brush away the first teardrop as it slid down Naruto's cheeks.

"You're crying." Then it suddenly made sense. The Uchiha didn't stop the rest of the tears, but drew Naruto close, letting him cry.

When the sobs finally stopped and the body of the strongest shinobi in Konoha became limp with weariness, Sasuke walked them both back to the bed. He leaned against the headboard and cradled Naruto onto his lap, not unlike their first night together.

"Naruto, you really are an idiot, the biggest idiot in Konoha," Sasuke said as he brushed his cheek against the wild golden head. "You're going to hurt more than anyone else if you get rid of our baby."

"But…"

"No buts. My fate is sealed, Naruto. No matter how many times you lose a baby, Tsunade can only prolong my life a certain period. No one can save me now."

"Isn't there anything else that we can do?"

"Naruto," a soft sign brushed against the blond bangs. "As the Hokage, you have a duty to the village. You can't let your feelings stand in the way."

"I know." And he did. In his mind, Naruto knew it was not fair for him to live in happiness with Sasuke, the person who killed the happiness of many others. But, his whole life had been filled with loneliness and duty, now that he finally found Sasuke again.

TBC

AN: Yes, I know this chapter was probably mushy to the extreme, and I didn't mean to turn Naruto into a hormonal mess or Sasuke into a self-pitying romantic; I blame it on the overly sugary tart I was eating while writing this chapter.


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